You sure wouldn't know it from her deadly serious ABC spy drama Alias, but Jennifer Garner is downright hilarious. The actress' sparkling comic timing helps to make 13 Going on 30 one of the most fun girly movies so far this year -- like a softer, gentler, slightly duller Mean Girls.Garner plays Jenna, a 13-year-old unpopular girl who finds herself trapped in the body of her gorgeous, perky 30-year-old self.
The body-switching genre, which reached a fever pitch in the '80s and peaked with Big, has never been known for overwhelming viewers with its intelligence or creativity.But 13 Going on 30, which can be most closely compared to that 1988 Tom Hanks comedy, is a perfectly delightful diversion, with Garner's infectious comedic chops at its core. She's backed up by great supporting performances from Judy Greer (The Village) as her childhood nemesis turned adult best friend, and Mark Ruffalo (Collateral) as the grown-up boy who once adored his pal Jenna.
The DVD is stuffed -- arguably overstuffed -- with extra features. There are 18 deleted or extended scenes, some of them superfluous enough that they don't even have audio tracks. Overall, you don't get the sense that anything vital was cut....more